Method of drawing wire and a lubricant therefor



United States Patent 6,021,941 METHOD OF DRAWING WEE AND A LUBRICANT THEREFOR Raymond J. Huet, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jerse No rawing. Filed Nov. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 695,223

2 Claims. (Cl. 205-41) This invention relates to a method of drawing wire and a lubricant therefor and is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 578,562, filed April 17, 1956, now abandoned. The invention particularly relates to the drawing of steel wire which is to be subjected to an annealing treatment followed by further processing steps such as wire drawing, electroplating or hot dip coating. In any -annealing process it is important that the surface of the annealed article be free of carbon or carbonaceous material. Where the wire has been drawn through organic lubricants such as metallic stearates and has to be annealed and further drawn to a smaller size, the carbon or carbonaceous material remaining on the wire following the annealing operation causes excessive wear on the dies and uneven coating and bright streaks on the finished wire. In an attempt to remove this carbon or carbonaceous material which is sometimes called smut, drastic cleaning operations are resorted to but even after such cleaning operations a certain amount of smut often remains. The lubricant disclosed in my copending application is generally satisfactory, but in some instances complete volatilization does not occur during the annealing operation.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a volatile wire drawing lubricant which is particularly suited for drawing wire which is to be subsequently annealed.

Another object is to provide a method of drawing wire in which the coating of wire drawing lubricant is removed therefrom during subsequent annealing treatment.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification.

The wire drawing lubricant of my invention includes a mixture of dimethylhexynediol and a compound of the group having the formula (C H CONH) CI-I where x is any number from 7 to 17. Examples of such compounds are as follows:

Methylene bis-octanamide [CH (CH CONH] CH- Methylene bis-decanamide [CH (CH CONH] CH Methylene bis-dodecanamide [CH (CH CONH] CH Methylene bis-tetradecanamide [CH (CH 12C0NH12CH3 Methylene bis-hexadecanamide [CH (CH C0NH] CH Methylene bis-octadecanamide The compound methylene bis-octadecanamide is preferred. These compounds volatilize at a temperature of about 600 F. and are not water soluble. Dimethylhexynediol has a melting point of 20l.2 to 203 F. and a boiling point of 401 to 402.8 F. The mixture may be diluted with a suitable filler. The filler can be either a volatile or non-volatile material. Methyl methacrylate resins and polystyrene resins are examples of volatile fillers and carbonates, silicates, chromates, lime borates, phosphates, copperas, hydroxides, oxides, metallic sulfides are examples of non-volatile fillers. A preferred mixture includes dimethylhexynediol and 30% methylene bis-octadecanamide, but the mixture may include from 10 to 30% by weight of the compound having the formula (C H CONH) CH with the remainder being dimethylhexynediol or dimethylhexynediol plus a filler.

In drawing the wire it may be first coated by dipping in a water solution containing a well known wire drawing aid such as borax, copperas, lime, phosphates or silicates. The coated wire is then passed through a die box containing a mixture of dimethylhexynediol and methylene bis-octadecanamide or one of the other compounds mentioned above in dry powdered form. One or more of the fillers mentioned above may also be added to the lubricant. Since the temperature of the wire during the usual cold drawing operation rises to at least 250 F. which is substantially above the melting point of the dimethylhexynediol, the heat of drawing will melt the dimethylhexynediol on the wire and bring the powdered dimethylhexynediol and the methylene bis-octadecanarnide or similar compound into solution. The drawn wire is then annealed and since the dimethylhexynediol volatilizes at approximately 403 F. and the methylene bis-octadecanamide or other compound volatilizes at a temperature of approximately 600 F. the lubricant will be removed from the drawn wire during the annealing step. If a base coat of lime or the like has been provided the drawn wire should be pickled. The wire is then ready for further treatment such as wire drawing, electroplating or hot dip coating. Since the compounds mentioned above are not water soluble they will protect the wire against corrosion during shipping and storage if the wire has not been annealed or the coating removed in any other manner.

While several embodiments of my invention have been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The method of cold drawing wire comprising coating the wire with a compound in powder form of the group having the formula (C H CONHMCH where x is any number from 7 to 17 diluted by dimethylhexyndiol in powder form, drawing the coated wire while utilizing the heat of drawing to bring the mixture of powders into solution and then heating the drawn wire to change the physicals of the wire and simultaneously remove the lubricant from the wire.

2. The method of cold drawing wire comprising coating the wire with methylene bis-octadecanamide in powder form diluted by dimethylhexynediol in powder form, drawing the coated wire while utilizing the heat of drawing to bring the mixture of powders into solution and then heating the drawn wire to change the physicals of the wire and simultaneously remove the lubricant from the 7 wire.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Oct. 18,

2,250,445 Bruson et a1. July 29, 1941 OTHER REFERENCES 2,393,675 Fenner Jan. 29, 1946 5 Yamamoto: Chem. Abstracts, v01. 49, Apr.-May'l955, 2,530,838 Orozco Nov. 21, 1950 6307 g. 2,554,846 Turinsky May 29, 1951 The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, fifth edition, 2,632,734 Nunn et a1 Mar. 24, 1953 page 392. 2,750,366 Turinsky June 12, 1956 E. L. H. Bastian, Metal Working Lubricants, pages 66 2,829,076 Rue Apr. 1, 1958 10 and 67, first edition. 

2. THE METHOD OF COLD DRAWING WIRE COMPRISING COATING TH EWIRE WITH METHYLENE BIS-OCTADECANAMIDE IN POWDER FORM DILUTED BY DIMETHYLHEXYNEDIOL IN POWDER FORM, DRAWING THE COATED WIRE WHILE UTILIZING THE HEAT OF DRAWING TO BRING THE MIXTURE OF POWDERS INTO SOLUTION AND THEN HEATING THE DRAWN WIRE TO CHANGE THE PHYSICALS OF THE WIRE AND SIMULTANEOUSLY REMOVE HT ELUBRICANT FROM THE WIRE. 